Soil‐Vegetation relationships in two coastal salt marshes in Southeastern Spain

Abstract

Soil and plant zonation were studied in two salt marsh areas of southeastern Spain. The areas were selected because of the diversity of vegetation and their good use of conservation. Plots were selected according to vegetation zones in bands related, principally, to soil gradient characteristics. Surface soil samples (20 cm) were taken from the different zones every 2 months to obtain information regarding the spatial and temporal variations of salinity and their relation to plant zonation. For each typical plant community the soils were described and classified according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Three soils were classified as Gleic Solonchacks in sodic phase, one as Mollic Solonchack in sodic phase, one as Calcic Solonchack in sodic phase, and another as Luvic Calcisol in sodic and saline phase. In the surface horizons, electrical conductivity (EC) varies with the time of the year, decreasing after the wet season and increasing after the dry season. The highest soil salinity values were obtained in the Arthrocnemum macrostachyum band (variations between 137.2 and 78.5 dS m−1 in Cabo de Gata salt marsh, affected by the water table) and the Sarco‐cornia fruticosa bands (101.0–64.1 dS m−1, in Cabo de Gata salt marsh, not affected by the water table, and 48.8–29.4 dS m−1 in El Carmolí salt marsh, affected by the water table). In the Limonium sp. bands the EC values varied between 33.6 and 23.3 dS m−1 for El Carmoli and between 24.7 and 4.1 dS m−1 for Cabo de Gata. In less saline bands the EC ranged from 11.1 to 0.5 dS m−1 .